Tim Duncan to Sit Out of Spurs-Warriors Matchup

LaMarcus Aldridge is dealing with back spasms but he is probable to play and is expected to be available.

The Spurs are already guaranteed of going down as one of the great dynasties ever in any sport.

Chicago’s mark of. 878 (72-10) from 1995-96 is the NBA’s single-season best.

Both the Warriors’ Steve Kerr and the Spurs’ Gregg Popovich appeared supremely relaxed and confident before the most anticipated game of the National Basketball Association season.

Weren’t these guys supposed to be getting old?

Popovich said every team wants to be the top seed but that the Spurs aren’t obsessed with beating the Warriors to the conference top spot to secure home court in the postseason. I know I do.

-KERR: Yeah, I think I said that last year-I think Steph is the short version of Tim. In terms of what Steph means to our franchise, not just his play but the way he carries himself, his image, the fact that he’s so pure in his intention.

Spurs’ 13-game winning streak at the start of play Sunday was the largest in the history of the Southwest Division, dating to 2004-05. They play great team defence that has a great defender in Kawhi as well other good defenders like Green and Duncan.

Are the San Antonio Spurs, their opponent in Monday’s showdown at Oracle Arena, one of the few unchecked items on the defending champion’s increasingly impressive to-do list? And while it’s logical to assume that a large portion of that staggering number is due to inflated margins of victory over some of the more diminutive teams in the league, the stats actually show that the Dubs tend to have their way on offense, regardless of who their opponent is.

“I was honored to even be in the discussion”, Thomas insisted in a phone interview with USA TODAY Sports. Nothing will keep them working to get better like knowing that Mount Spurs is still in front of them. It’s the last mountain they must climb to truly look down on everybody.

While Golden State is expected to come in to this game with everyone available, the same can not be said for the Spurs.

Spurs: San Antonio committed a season-high 26 turnovers….

Not the Spurs, the ultimate players of the long game. Meanwhile, they are just 3-3 at Oracle in the past six (after losing 10 straight to them at home prior to that).

While Stephen Curry stacked YouTube highlights, Klay Thompson fired 3-point daggers and Draymond Green crushed victims under the wheels of an offensive machine, they were the bunch that kept their noses to the ground and followed the scent.

Duncan’s absence will be an excuse for Spurs fans if they fall to the Warriors.

The 6-foot-11 Duncan, 39, sat out San Antonio’s win Thursday over the Phoenix Suns, and returned for Friday’s win over the Los Angeles Lakers. “When you look at his body of work over this last decade, it’s hard to argue that anyone has a better body of work than him”.

Could Walton coach the game as a representative of the Warriors? Is it Leonard, who could and has a better chance of switching onto Curry when the Warriors run the pick-and-roll?

Golden State opened this season on a 24-0 tear and certainly they have only slightly lifted their foot off the pedal.

And then the other thing they do is they execute so well on offense that it helps their defense. Pop and Co. have seen it all before.

Most of all, the Warriors left that series knowing they were onto something.